Mississippi Tornado Response Update

Dear Friend,

It's been nearly two weeks since powerful storms swept through Mississippi and Alabama on the evening of March 24th, producing 20 tornadoes and tragically taking the lives of over two dozen people. The storm caused catastrophic damages to hundreds of homes and buildings, leaving thousands of residents without power and in need of extensive home repairs. Unfortunately, many of the communities impacted by the tornados lack the economic resources and infrastructure needed to recover on their own. It will continue to take the efforts of local and national Response Teams and supporters like you to help affected residents rebuild their lives.

Since deployment, Inspiritus has been working in coordination with emergency teams, local officials, and our partners to help impacted communities on their road to recovery. Inspiritus-trained volunteers are currently helping survivors in Wren, Mississippi (15-minutes west of Amory), by providing free Debris Removal, Roof Tarping, and Chainsaw services for the most vulnerable homeowners.

Last Saturday, Inspiritus helped to coordinate and provide disaster response safety training to 160 community volunteers, to ensure volunteers can safely support the needs of Survivors in the area. In total, our teams provided in-depth safety briefings and has coordinated the clean-up and debris removal efforts of 376 volunteers, serving over 1240 hours in Wren, MS.

It's critical for our teams to take extra care of not just a Survivor's home, but the person impacted. Many of them are faced with horrific memories and the surmounting feeling of loss and grief after such a traumatic event. Several Inspiritus volunteers are trained to provide spiritual, emotional and social support to help Survivors navigate the difficult road ahead of them. Barbara Yates, a seasoned Inspiritus Disaster Relief Volunteer, recalls the terrifying experience of one of the families we are assisting:

"One of the families we are helping was gathered together in their home when thestorm struck. It was a father and mother, and two children (a teenage boy and his younger sister). The teenager, wrapped himself around his sister, while the entire home was picked up and thrown 100 yards and eventually smashed into a line of trees. Miraculously, everyone lived...but, their home is a total loss. Despite the fact that they could walk away, they are forever changed."

- Barbara Yates, Inspiritus Volunteer

WHAT WE ARE DOING:

• Providing free Chainsaw, Roof Tarping, and Debris Removal services to communities, as needed.

• Providing safety briefings to Spontaneous Volunteers, as needed.

• Providing free Home Needs Assessments.

• Supporting individuals and families impacted by the disaster.

COMMUNITY BENEFIT:

Inspiritus is working to build local disaster response capacities, while also providing direct services to survivors, including:

• Capacity Building: Inspiritus is partnering with local emergency and city/county officials to build local disaster response capacity, as needed.

• Direct Services: Inspiritus staff and volunteers are providing home needs assessments and debris removal services, along with emotional care to bring safety and peace of mind to homeowners requesting assistance. We are directly providing home assessments and debris removal (including chainsawing) to homes and public spaces.

• Spiritual & Emotional Care: Disasters can affect a Survivor's physical and emotional well-being. They disrupt everyday life by displacing individuals and families, destroying homes, and splintering communities. Inspiritus' volunteer teams and partner organizations are providing emotional care, spiritual guidance and critical resources to help impacted individuals recover stronger.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

Thank you for helping impacted communities find strength and resiliency during this difficult time. We will continue to keep you updated as the work progresses. In the meantime, you can learn more about Inspiritus' Disaster Relief efforts and the ways you can get involved by clicking the button below.

Please join us in prayer for those impacted by this tragic disaster.

Sincerely,

Virginia Spencer
Chief Development Officer
Inspiritus

Disaster Team Deploys to Mississippi

Dear Friend,

On the evening of March 24, a powerful tornado cut a devastating path of at least 170 miles across Mississippi and Alabama. Tragically, these communities lost over two dozen lives as the tornado obliterated homes and buildings in its wake. It traveled through Amory, Mississippi, a small town of 7,316 residents situated in the northeastern corner of Mississippi, near the Alabama border. Few buildings remained unscathed, with many requiring extensive repairs.

The 70 mph tornado left downed power lines, uprooted trees, and pieces of roofing and siding throughout the streets of Amory. The town has been operating without clean drinking water as the city’s water treatment plant was directly hit. The people who have lived in the small community their whole lives say they've never seen anything quite like the destruction they're facing now.

Thankfully, there were no fatalities within the Amory town limits, however many residents are displaced, managing numerous injuries, and working to salvage their homes and personal items. According to Police Chief Nicholaus Weaver, “All of the residential buildings in the town have been searched and found clear. Now, it’s about the cleanup. It’s going to be a long process.”

WHAT WE ARE DOING:

Project Tasks & Activities:

Inspiritus volunteer teams will help with debris removal & chainsawing wherever needed most in Amory, with priority on assisting those who are the most vulnerable, families with children, seniors, veterans, and especially low-income households. 

We are also deploying our WOW Cart (from Waterstep) to provide purified water to residents & responders, as needed. 

Teams will conduct rapid home needs assessments, before providing free clean-up, debris removal, and chainsaw services. Our teams will also be prepared to help deploy spontaneous volunteers to assist with home debris removal jobs, as needed.

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Projected Outcomes:

• Providing chainsaw & debris removal services to communities as needed/available

• Ensuring Access to Inspiritus’ WOW Cart/Water Purification system

• Providing Free Home Needs Assessments

• Support Individuals Impacted by the Disaster

Community Benefit:

Inspiritus is working to build local disaster response capacities, while also providing direct services to survivors.

• Capacity Building: Inspiritus is partnering with local emergency and city/county officials to build local disaster response capacity, as needed.

• Direct Services: Inspiritus staff and volunteers are providing home needs assessments and debris removal services, along with emotional care to bring safety and peace of mind to homeowners requesting assistance. We are directly providing home assessments and debris removal (including chainsawing) to homes and public spaces. We anticipate our services will be able to help 100+ individuals within 2 weeks from the time we responded.

• Spiritual & Emotional Care: Volunteers will be accompanying survivors as they navigate one of the most difficult tragedies and challenges of their lives. In this accompaniment, we walk alongside each individual we come in contact with, helping them to tap into the resilience within themselves. Prayer and spiritual encouragement is often greatly appreciated by many survivors and Inspiritus volunteers often provide this comforting and empowering form of care, when it is welcomed. Hope and hugs are often powerfully strengthening for survivors during their darkest hours.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

As things develop, we will keep you updated on the needs for this Response operation. In the meantime, you can learn more about Inspiritus' Disaster Relief efforts and the ways you can get involved by clicking the button below.

Please join us in prayer for those impacted by this tragic disaster.

Sincerely,

Virginia Spencer
Chief Development Officer
Inspiritus